Sex education urged as infection cases grow in US

WASHINGTON: American squeamishness about talking about sex has helped keep common sexually transmitted infections far too common, especially among vulnerable teens, US researchers reported yesterday.

Latest statistics on chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis show the three highly treatable infections continue to spread in the United States.

"Chlamydia and gonorrhea are stable at unacceptably high levels and syphilis is resurgent after almost being eliminated," said John Douglas, director of the division of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).